Mobile devices, including cellular phones, smart phones, mobile Internet devices (MIDs), handheld computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and other similar devices, provide a wide variety of applications for various purposes, including business and personal use.
A mobile device requires one or more input mechanisms to allow a user to input instructions and responses for such applications. As mobile devices become smaller yet more full-featured, a reduced number of user input devices (such as switches, buttons, trackballs, dials, touch sensors, and touch screens) are used to perform an increasing number of application functions.
Ultrabook convertibles, also called “Two-in-Ones,” have the ability to operate in a clamshell (traditional laptop) mode 101 and a tablet mode 102 as shown in FIG. 1. Some ultrabook convertibles can also operate in a tent mode 103 and a stand mode 104 as shown in FIG. 1. A clamshell mode can be either a clamshell close mode in which the screen is facing the keyboard and the two are parallel, or clamshell open mode in which the screen is facing the user in landscape orientation and is less than 180° open from the clamshell closed state. A tent mode refers to a configuration in which the screen is facing the user in landscape or inverted landscape orientation and is more than 180° open from the clamshell closed state, but is not fully in the tablet (360°) state. A tablet mode refers to a configuration in which the screen is facing the user in landscape, portrait, inverted landscape, or inverted portrait orientation. The keyboard is facing in the opposite direction from the screen and the two are parallel. A stand mode refers to a configuration in which the screen is facing the user in landscape mode, with the keyboard sitting flat on the table. The screen is articulated between 270 and 360 degrees versus the keyboard.
Converting between modes requires flipping or twisting the screen or display panel so that it folds down on top of or behind the keyboard as part of the base unit. While doing this, it is possible for a user to unintentionally touch parts of the system that cause side effects. For example, the user might mistakenly touch the touch screen, changing the input focus of the cursor, or they might press a key on the keyboard they did not wish to press. Other parts of the system that may be touched unintentionally include the touchpad, touchpad buttons, or system buttons such as volume up, volume down, mute, screen rotation lock, or power button. Having the system react unexpectedly (e.g. shut off because the user unintentionally touched the power button while converting between clamshell and tablet mode) is a poor user experience.